Mourinho's persecution complex has been pricked as he complained about the issue only at the end of last month, when Chelsea were made to play at Arsenal in the Capital One Cup a little over 48 hours after their league game at home to City. He initially threatened to play a youth team at Arsenal, only to backtrack. Chelsea's first fixture after the international break, which follows the match against West Brom, is at West Ham United on Saturday 23 November.

"I feel our match [against West Brom] is very special because, of every English team involved in European competitions, especially the ones involved in Champions League matches, we're the only team that plays on Saturday," Mourinho said. "Everybody has one more day to rest. We're the only team that plays Wednesday and Saturday.

"Once more, we're really special and our game against West Bromwich becomes the 'Special Saturday' and not the 'Special Sunday'. It's happening a lot with us."

Mourinho added, with heavy sarcasm, that it was all "understandable" because it permitted Chelsea an extra day to prepare for the game against West Ham. "Instead of 15 days to prepare the game against West Ham, we have 16 days, which is good," he said, miscalculating slightly but making his point.

"I think Big Sam [Allardyce] will be upset because we have 16 days to prepare the game against West Ham. So, once more, I understand every decision. That's good. I just think we are special. For some reason, we had to play against Arsenal when we did. We have to play this now. OK, now it's good."

Mourinho was asked whether he thought the authorities were ignoring him, in the light of him having complained so recently. "I think they laugh," he said. "They know what they do and they laugh because I can't do nothing.

"It is the people that decide the fixtures, I don't know who they are. What I know is that they think we are special and they always give us the right fixtures, so now we are the only team that plays Wednesday and Saturday. But again, I think they are nice to us because we have 16 days to prepare West Ham."

Mourinho confirmed that Eden Hazard was dropped for the Schalke match after losing his passport following an unsanctioned trip to France but has said the matter was closed.

"He went to a foreign country when he shouldn't have," Mourinho said. "On top of that he lost his passport, which didn't allow him to be back in training, which is obviously unacceptable. It is over. No more consequences, the consequence was not to play, which is the worst thing that can happen to a player.

"Case over, he is a very good kid and there are no problems. It was not a big story. Every player knows me and knows my reaction – the group is always more important than any player."